Folding pick



w. JOHNSON 2,614,004

FOLDING PICK Oct. 14, 1952 Filed Jan. 6, 1950 u- I l I Inventor 14 61! fer Jb/mso/z Atlorney Patented Oct. 14, 1952 2514,00 1 V FGLDING PICK t l/alter .lohnson, Gary, Ind. Applicationilanuary 6, 1950," S eria;l No."137;148

This invention relates to a novel'construction of folding or collapsible pick and more particu- -larly to a, pick having pivotally mounted prongs which are-capable of being swung downwardly toward collapsed, inoperative position and so as tobe-disposed-adjacent'the'pick'handle when not in use. 7 V I Morepartlcularly, it isan-aim o'f the present invention to provide a pick of relatively simple construction provided with means for detachably retaining the prongs of the pick head in extended, operative position yet which will permit the release of said prongs for downwardswinging movement to an inoperative position when the pick is "not in use.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter "become more fullyapparent from the following description -of the drawing, illustrating a presently -preferred 'embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure -l is an exploded perspective view of the ick =parts shown disassembled;

Figure 2 is a fragmentaryside-elevationalview of the assembled pik;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated bythe 1ine-'-3-'3 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 3 and substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the pick, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, partly in side elevation of :the pick head and showing the prongs thereof in a folded position.

'Referringxm'or'e' specifically .to the drawing, (the novel T'folding pick in its entirety is designated generally -I and includes an elongated tapered handle 8 whih is-oval shaped in cross section particularly adjacent its enlarged end and which is-provided with a retaining band '9 of strap metal which is disposed around the enlarged end there of, overlapped and secured thereto by suitable fastenings III which are anchored in the handle 8. A bolt I I has one end anchored in the handle 8 and is disposed axially thereof and projects from the enlarged end of said handle and is provided with a diametrically extending bore I2 in its exposed portion.

The pick I also includes a head, designated generally I3, including a centrally disposed supporting member I 4 of substantially the same shape in cross section as the enlarged end of the handle 8 and which has a threaded bore I5 ESE-Claims. (Cl. 1306 -42) extending axially therethrough for threa'dedly engaging the bolt II. provided at its lower =posed-corresponding notches I6 which open out- The head section M is end with oppositely diswar'dly-of its side wall and of its bottom surface and which are-formed in the widest part of said 'head section. The head [3 also includes a pair of corresponding longitudinally tapered :prongs 1 7 which are provided, adjacent their enlarged ends, each with a'transversely extending opening 18. Said enlarged ends of the prongs I 1 are adapted to fitloosely in the notches E6 and'the head section 14 is provided with openings 19 which transversely intersect theznotches l8 and which register with the openings I 8 for receiving pins 20 for pivotally connecting the prongs ill to the supporting head section "I4. Each ao'f the prongs I! is provided with a projection 2! :which depends from the underside thereof and adjacent its enlarged :end.

A prong supporting member, designated generally 22 includes .'a di'sk.-'23 :of ovalshape-to correspond in size and shape with the "enlarged .end

of'thefh'andle :8 and'whichthas a centrahopening '24 for receiving the bolt IIII The disk I23 isiprovided with aligned arms :25 which project :from the remote portions 'of the vperiphery'thereo'fand each Of which is providedwith an opening '26. The iprongsupporting member 22 is mounted :directly *on the :enlarged :end of the handle 18 and =a washer '27 mounted aon the bolt M and supported on the disk :23. The supporting head section M is then screwedon'to the bolt ll and with the prongs I! spread, as .illustrate'd'in Figures 2 and 3 and the projections :21! -:of said prongs are engaged in the op'enings 226 of :the prong supporting member 22 before the head section-ll '4 :is completely tightened 1on=the belt I I vandso that said supporting or retaining memberI-Zt. will revolve with the head It as it approaches its fully applied position of Figures 2 and 3. "It 'will' thus be readilyapparent th'at the retaining member 22 will maintain the prongs I! in their extended positions of Figures 2 and 3 when the extensions 2| thereof are in engagement with the openings 26 since said prongs will rest on the outer ends of the arms 25 and the extensions 2| by engagement with the openings,

the head section I4 is provided,

I2 and 28, as best seen in Figure 4 and which may be provided with a removable retaining element 30 on its shank end to prevent the retaining pin 29 from being accidently dislodged.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the pick when assembled, as previously described and as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, may be utilized in a conventional manner and the pick prongs I! will be positively held immovable relatively to the supporting head section l4 and the handle 8. When the pick is not in use it may be readily folded either by completely removing the head 13 from the bolt H and swinging the prongs I'I downwardly to a folded, substantially parallel position relatively to the supporting head section 14, as illustrated in Figure 6, or after removing the retaining pin 29, the supporting head section 14 may be partially unscrewed from the bolt ll sufliciently so that the prong retaining member 22 can be disengaged from the extensions 2| and the head section 14 may then be positioned so that its widest part, from which the prongs l1 project, may be disposed transversely to the widest part of the enlarged end of the handle 8 and with the supporting arms 25 out of engagement with the prongs ll, said prongs may then be swung downwardly relatively to the head section 14 in folded positions substantially against the handle 8 and longitudinally thereof.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with an elongated pick handle and a pair of pick prongs, of a bolt anchored in and projecting from one end of said handle, a supporting section combined with the prongs to form a collapsible pick head, said supporting section having a threaded bore detachably engaging said bolt, said prongs having inner ends pivotally connected to the supporting section and projecting therefrom in opposite directions to one another, extensions secured to and depending from the prongs adjacent their pivoted ends, and a retaining member mounted on said bolt between the supporting section and handle and including supporting arms engaged under portions of said prongs for supporting the prongs in extended positions relatively to one another, said supporting arms being provided with apertures receiving the prong extensions and non-rotatably connecting the prong retaining member and pick head.

2. A structure as in claim 1, said supporting section having notches opening outwardly of one end thereof and opening outwardly of the head in opposite directions, the ends of the prongs ivotally connected therein, said notches defining walls facing said end of the supporting sec- 4 tion and engaging the prongs for limiting the swinging movement thereof relatively to the supporting section and toward extended positions.

3. A structure as in claim 1, said handle being tapered throughout its length and the pick head being mounted on the enlarged end thereof, said handle and the supporting section being oval shaped in cross section, and said pick head being adapted to be backed off from the handle for disengaging the retaining member from the prongs whereby the prong supporting portions of the supporting section may be disposed transversely of the widest part of the en-- larged end of the handle and transversely of the supporting arms of the retaining member for folding the prongs downwardly and against the handle.

4. In a folding pick, the combination with an elongated pick handle, of a pick head including a large nut and a pair of pick prongs, said nut having recesses opening outwardly of its periphery and outwardly of a lower end thereof defining downwardly facing wall surfaces, said prongs having inner ends disposed in said recesses and pivotally connected to said nut and mounted for swinging movement from extended, substantially aligned positions with portions of the prongs abutting the downwardly facing wall surfaces, only in one direction toward folded or collapsed positions, a bolt anchored in one end of the pick handle and extending therefrom and engaged with the nut to detachably mount the pick head on the handle, and a retaining member detachably mounted on said bolt between the handle and pick head and provided with elongated prong supporting members engaged under said prongs outwardly of their pivots for cooperation with said downwardly facing wall surfaces to retain the prongs in extended positions.

5. A folding pick as in claim 4, and means on said prongs having interfitting engagement in the prong retaining member non-rotatably connecting said retaining member to the pick head when said nut is engaged with the bolt and advanced to a position adjacent the handle.

WALTER JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,008,944 Brendel Nov. 14, 1911 1,273,023 Bragdon July 16, 1918 1,972,147 Jones Sept. 4, 1934 2,377,730 Vosbikian et al. June 5, 1945 2,462,427 Roche Feb. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 304,030 Germany Feb. 20, 1918 

